Shirt collar



Aug. 13, 1946. H. HENSCHEL SHIRT COLLAR Filed Feb. .8, 1945 ATTORNEY ec'lzz BY 542mm :16

L m J Patented Aug. 13, 1946 Heinz Henschel, Johannesburg, lTransva'al, Union of 'South Africa, assignor of one-half to Heinz Bernhard Hammerschlag, Johannesburg, Transvaal, Union of South Africa Application February 8, 1945, Serial No. 576,729 In'th'e 'Union of South Africa March 21, 1944 This invention-relates to shirt :c'ollars,;and more particularly to turn-down'collars and the means fol-attaching them to their shirts.

The object of the invention is to provide a turn-down collar having its normally exposed portion easily replaceable while it is secured to the shirt in such a manner that it can be worn and laundered without removal from the shirt.

Normally a turn-down collar is either attached to the neckband of a shirt by two studs one in front and one at the back or it is permanently fastened by means of stitching to the neckband. The permanently fastened collar is more comfortable to wear; it can be worn without a tie as an open-neck shirt, it is also more convenient because it is laundered with the shirt. Owing to the fact that the greatest wear on a shirt occurs around the top of the collar the detachable collar is popular and usually two collars are supplied with each shirt. Each collar is usually made from two thicknesses of the shirting material with a stiifening insertion between the thicknesses. The collar is made wide enough to be folded in half and s becomes a turn-down collar. The inside up-standing portion is attached to the neckband and the turn-down portion folds over and covers the necktie except where it is tied in front of the collar. In this invention the turndown collar is made in two portions. The upright inner portion and the turn-down outer portion including the top of the collar Where the greatest wear occurs.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shows the upper portion of a shirt with the collar according to this invention in place but with one end upturned.

Fig. 2 shows the shirt with the outer portion of the collar removed.

Fig. 3 shows a portion of Fig. 1 but with the parts partially disconnected.

Fig. 4 shows a portion of a spare collar.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

According to this invention, and as shown in the drawing, the collar I consists of the upright inner portion 2 and the turn-down outer portion 3 with a fold at 4 providing an inner rim 5. This inner downwardly projecting rim 5 is removably attached to the top of the upright portion 2. The attachment is made in such a manner that the shirt and collar can be worn and laundered as comfortably and easily as if the collar was permanently attached to the shirt. At the same time, while the inner or upright portion 2 of the collar -2 Claims. (01. 2139) I remains permanently attached to the shirt two or more of the turn down portions 3 are supplied with the shirt and when on'eis worn it can heremoved and replaced with a spare one by the use of this invention. A simple lacin process. is .all that .;is required for such replacement, that is there is no necessity .of having.recoursetoimachine or hand sewing.

The upright portion 2 of the collar is made of two thicknesses 6, I, of the shirting material with, if desired, the stiffening material 8 between them. The edge 9 of the neck opening of the shirt is placed between the hemmed edges of 6 and l and the parts stitched together. This permanently fastens the upright portion 2 to the shirt.

The top I!) of the upright portion 2 is made double. The inner portion, that is the part towards the inside of the shirt, and exposed to view, has a plain unbroken surface. Turned down and inside this top edge I0 is a lining I I as shown and outside of that again is a ring or flap I2 so that between II and I2 a channel I3 is formed. I I and I2 are perforated with lace holes I4, I5 respectively and regularly spaced and placed opposite one another.

The channel I 3 is made suitable in depth to accommodate the inner folded down rim 5 of the turned-down portion of the collar 3. This rim 5 is provided with lace holes I6 similarly placed in relation to lace holes I4, [5 in II and I2.

The collar is suitably shaped particularly where the ends I! meet. At one end I! (as shown on the right hand in the drawing) is attached the end I8 of a lace I9. This lace may be made by folding and stitching a narrow strip of the shirting material; otherwise it may be made of plastic or other semi-stiff and resilient material. The end of the lace I9 opposite end I8 may be suitably stiffened to form a tag 20. With the rim 5 of turned down portion 3 of the collar inserted in channel I3 that is, with the two portions 2 and 3 of collar I in proper position, the tag 20 is passed through the end holes I6 in rim 5 and out through the corresponding hole I5 in flap I2, then back again through the next hole I5, through the corresponding hole It and into the hole I4. The tag 20 is now passed along beneath the lining II to be brought out through the next hole I4 through It then I5. It is then passed back through I5 and the corresponding next series of holes and so back and forth until the lacing has passed right round the collar and the tag 20 has emerged at end I! (on the left of the drawing) through the end hole I5. A pair of extra holes 2| may be made near this point of r exit and in the outside wall of the portion 2, as shown, into which the end of the tag 20 may be passed to be held conveniently out of the way.

With the lacing made as described and completed it is not visible with the shirt worn in the normal manner. The shirt and collar can be washed and laundered as one article and until, due to wear or otherwise, it is desired to replace the turn-down or outer portion 3 no part of the lacing is disturbed. When a change has to be made the tag 20 is withdrawn from holes 2! and the parts are unlaced. The old portion 3 is removed and may be discarded and the new portion 3, Fig. 4, is laced in place. As the collar at fold 4 is probably the only part of the shirt first to wear out the replacement of old portion 3 by a new portion of collar I renovates the shirt and makes it fit for further service.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shirt having a turndown collar, said collar made in two parts the inner or upstanding part of the collar permanently attached to the shirt and having its upper edge divided into outside and inside portions the outside portion having regularly placed lace holes, the turn-down part of the collar folded at its upper edge, said inside turned down edge adapted to fit between the divided upper portions of the upstanding part of the collar, lace holes in the folded edge of the collar spaced to correspond with th holes in the outside portion of the upstandin part, and means for removably securing the urned down edge of the collar to the divided upp r portion of the upstanding part by a lace passed through the lace holes.

2. A shirt having a turndown collar, said collar made in two parts the inner or upstanding part of the collar permanently attached to the shirt and having its upper edge divided into outside and inside portions the outside portion having regularly placed lace holes, a lining to the inside portion also provided with lace holes, the turn-down part of the collar folded at its upper edge, said inside turned down edge adapted to fit between the divided upper portions of the upstanding part of the collar, lace holes in the folded edge of the collar spaced to correspond with the two sets of holes in the inner lining and in the outside portion of the upstanding part, and means for removably securing the turned down edge of the collar to the divided upper portion 

